Fruit-drier.



No. 639,755. Pat t d n 26, |899.

E. MccLATcHEY. e" e 6 FRUIT DINER.

(Application tiled Sept. 25, 18 99.)

2 sheets-sheet l.

(No Modem @Miorneys No. 639,755. P t t .2 l 99.

amccLAcnEv. a e" ed Dec 5 8 FRUIT DRIER. (Application filed Sept. 25, 1899,)

2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

(Nn Model.)

Wimesses z @Horneys UNITED STATESl EDGAR MoonAroHnY, or LEAMINGTON, CANADA.

FRUIT-Dunas.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,755, dated December 26, 1899.

Application led September 25,1899. Serial No. 731,523. (No model.)

To all whom 132i may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR MCCLATCHEY, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Leamington, county of Essex, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Driers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert-ains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fruit-driers; and its object is to provide a drier which is especially adapted to dry or evaporate the moisture from large quantities of fruit in a very brief space of time.

A further object is to provide a drier which is simple in construction, effective in operation, and which may be manufactured at a moderate cost.

To these ends the invention consists in a fruit-drier constructed substantially as herein illustrated and described, and defined in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is an elevation of a drying-house constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the opposite side of the house. Fig. 3 is a vertical central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 4 is an end view, and Fig. 5 is a detail.

In the drawings, A represents a dryinghouse, which may be constructed of any suitable iireproof material and in any style convenient for the intended purpose. of windows a are provided along the entire length of one side of the structure, through which the operation of' drying the fruit may be inspected. Below the windows a are provided a series of openings a', which extend along the entire length of both sides of the building for the admission of air. A suitable number of chimneys d2 or other ventilators are provided on' the top of the building to permit the hot moisture-laden air to escape.

Near the front end of the building is located the furnace B,which is built into the wall of the building and is supplied with hot-air pipes b, which extend the entire length of the A series building and serve to distribute the heat equally throughout the structure. Each end of the buildingis supplied with suitable doors, and at each end of the building convenient to said doors is journaled a shaft d, upon which is fixed a roller D, over which passes an endless conveyer-belt D, preferably constructed of wire-gauze and upon which the fruit to be dried is to be placed. One of the shafts d is provided with a suitable tension device d', by means of which the belt D' may be kept sufficiently taut. Upon one end of each of the shafts d is fixed a sprocket-wheel d2, which are preferably located outside of the building and are connected together by means of a sprocket-chain cl3, whereby the strain is equally distributed to both shafts ol.

At the rear of the building is arranged a scraping deviceE for loosening the dried fruit from the gauze belt, thus permitting it to fall upon the inclined guide e, down which it is direct-ed to any suitable. receptacle. (Not shown.) The scraper E may be of any suitable construction for the purpose; but as shown it is constructed of a yokeshaped rod having at its upper end the outwardlyextending arms e', by means of which it is adapted to be pivotally secured to the sides of the building above the belt D' and having its lower end in contact with said belt, as shown in Fig. 3.

While I have herein shown a preferred form of carrying myinvention into effect, yet I do not desire to limit myself to such preferred details of construction, but claim the right to use any and all modifications thereof which will serve to carry into effect the objects to be attained by this invention in so far as such modifications and changes may fall within the spirit and scope of my said invention.

I claim- A drier, comprising a fireproof building having suitable doors at each end thereof, inspection-windows formed in thel sides of said building; air-openings formed on both sides of the building at the lower part thereof; suitable ventilators mounted on the upper part of said building; afurnace; hot-air pipes leading therefrom throughout the said building; a shaft journaled in each end of the IOO a esente building a roller fixed u'pon each of said end upon the upper surface of said belt, sul); shafts; an endless conveyor belt passed stantially as described. 1o about said rollers; a sprocket-wheel secured In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my to each of said shafts; a sproket-c'hin eo'nliand in the presence of two Witnesses.

5 meeting said sprocket-wheels; a power-driven pulley fixed upon one of said shafts; and a v Witnesses scraper pivotally secured to the sdesof the L. COULSON, said building and adapted to bear at its lower' P. PILLIPS;

EDGAR MCCLATCHEY. 

